


Here be Dragons

by kurohachi



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: AU in which Greg is a shepherd who accidentally befriended a dragon, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Apparently I can't have enough of baby dragon Sherlock, Dragon AU, F/M, First Time, Fluff, M/M, Sherlock Rare Pair Bingo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-02-15 23:50:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2247999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurohachi/pseuds/kurohachi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gregory Lestrade was just a boy when his father decided it was time for him to be a man. </p><p>He was twelve when his father told him at dinner he would join the hunting party in a week. Nobody, least of all Greg, expected to find a dragon instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Draco Dormiens

**Author's Note:**

> I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS IT WITH ME AND BABY DRAGONS OK
> 
> But... yeah. Another Sherstrade with human Greg and baby dragon Sherlock. I am so creative.

Gregory Lestrade was just a boy when his father decided it was time for him to be a man. 

He was twelve when his father told him at dinner he would join the hunting party in a week. 

"But Hector, he is but a boy! Do you think he's old enough?" His mother said worriedly as she placed a bowl of rabbit stew and a few butter rolls on the table. 

“He's old enough to trap and skin a rabbit by himself, Grace." His father patted Greg's shoulder proudly, "And he drove away a wolf from the flock with his sling just today! I'm sure he's going to be fine. Am I right, Greg?"

"Yes, father." Greg tried to smile despite the fear coiling in his stomach. 

A wolf is one thing; that poor thing was so tired and hungry it was desperate enough to try and attack a human's flock. Greg gave it his lunch and it nuzzled his hand in gratitude before running back to the forest, but his dad didn't have to know that. The one he drove away with his sling was the neighbor's thieving shepherd Elias, no doubt planning to steal Greg's sheep to cover for the ones he lost due to negligence. Rabbits are cautious, but plentiful. It wasn't hard at all to find one that would fall into Greg's trap. 

But out there, out there be dragons — literally.

___

 

Greg often came with his father to town when he went to get supplies. He would hear stories about gigantic fire breathing dragons. Big, hideous things with massive wings and teeth as long as your whole body. Their scales are tougher than iron, and their fire burns hotter than any forge. The dragons didn't really trouble themselves with humans. They are rarely seen, and rumors of dragon attack were few and far in between. The only dispute humans have with dragons were the fact that they hunted all the big games. 

The men sought to hunt dragons not to protect themselves, but for greed. An armor made from dragon scales were sure to be indestructible, not to mention priceless. A sword made from dragon claw could pierce a thousand armors. The fame that came from slaying a dragon, the gold that came from the bounty, as well as fear for the monstrous beast drove humans to hunt for dragons. Although those who did soon regret it, if they even survived the encounter.

Greg knew of a man by the name of Leander. He remembered his mom sending him on an errand to town and he saw a large group of people gathering in the square. He quickly sneaked into the front of the crowd and saw the biggest man he's ever seen.

Leander was a gigantic man, over seven feet tall and made of pure muscle. His head was bald and tattoed, his torso was covered in armor of iron and leather. He had a massive sword on his hip and a battle axe in his hand. 

"Witness the man that will slay a dragon!", he cried out to the crowd, and showed off his bulging muscles and impressive weaponry. The crowd gasped and murmured in awe as the man swung the axe that was even taller than he was.

Greg had to hurry off and do his errand or he wouldn't be in time for dinner so he didn't witness any more of that man's display.

One week later, he came to town with his father to buy a new saddle for their horse. Just as they were walking to the leathersmith, they heard a huge commotion. A heavily wounded man dragged another man with him, also heavily wounded. The man he dragged had his whole arm up to his shoulder charred black, his head was covered dark red with blood. If it wasn't for the fact that his lips was moving, muttering something, Greg would've thought he was dead. 

"Stay here." His father commanded before he ran off to help the townsmen carry the men to the healer. 

Greg normally obeyed his father, but this time he couldn't resist the pull of curiosity. He followed the group of curious townspeople as the men carried the wounded to the doctor. He peeked through the open window as his father and two other men laid the man with the charred arm on the examination table. He gasped when he saw who he was. It was Leander, the man who hunted dragons.

"Fire..." He deliriously muttered, "Steel fangs and dragon fire. Gold orbs made of suns. Molten red scales. Heat and blood. Fire, claws and death. Death. So much death. Beware. Beware."

Greg stared in horror when the man started screaming. He was quickly pulled away by his father who covered his eyes and carried him away. He could hear the man screaming even after the nurses shut all the windows and curtains. 

After they bought the saddle from the leathersmith, his dad wordlessly fitted the new saddle on their horse and they began the slow ride home.

Greg clung to his dad more closely than usual, but none of them said anything of it. 

"...What happened to them, father?" He asked quietly about halfway home.

His father was quiet, and for a moment Greg thought he wasn't going to answer. 

"The man's name is Leander." His father finally said, "I heard from the leathersmith that one week ago he and seven other men went to hunt dragons far into the north mountains. He did find one, but the dragon was with a young."

He took a long sigh, "So like the utter fool that he was, he thought he could get twice the glory. Of course he forgot that any creature will fight thrice as fiercely when they're guarding the young. It's a miracle that they survived at all."

Greg thought of the charred remains of the man's arms and torso and he didn't think they would survive at all.

"Are dragons dangerous, father?" Greg asked cautiously. 

His father chuckled mirthlessly, "Well, it's large and very much well equipped to slaughter any of us. But they don't have any quarrel with men except for those who seek them. We are like ants to them. Humans are dangerous to ants, yes, but we don't go out of our way to kill them other than those who bite us."

Greg nodded in understanding. The sun has set and he was getting sleepy. 

"Are you tired, Greg?" His father asked. Greg mumbled his answer and his father laughed. He stopped the horse and dismounted carefully. "I'll sit behind you and you can lean on me while you sleep."

Greg fell asleep to his father's heartbeat and the slow trot of their trusty old horse. 

He was ten years old. 

___

"Will there be dragons, father?" He asked cautiously, trying not to show his fear. 

"Goodness me, son! No!" His father guffawed and his mother giggled, "Not this far south, I don't think. They tend to avoid human settlements. Why, I've been to that forest a hundred times and I've never seen anything other than elks and other big games."

"Will you bring a turkey to my dining table, dear?" His mother asked sweetly with a playful smile.

"For you, my love, I will tie the moon on a string and hang it outside your window." His father said with a big grin. His mother giggled and pecked him on the cheek while Greg tried not to make a face.


	2. Hunting Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hunt is on. But who is the hunter and who is the prey?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's probably obvious but I am clueless about hunting so please bear with me.

One week passed by too soon and not soon enough. 

The day before the hunt, his father came home from town with a shiny new knife just for him with explicit instructions to be very careful and not to play around with it. 

"This can take lives." His father told him sternly, "But in the right hands it can save lives. Can you promise me you'll be careful with it?"

Greg nodded eagerly, and his father handed him the knife. Greg looked at it reverently, running his hands over the supple leather handle, to the iron guard and the hard leather sheathe. It was beautiful. He carefully unsheathed it and gasped in awe of the gleaming iron edge, sharpened to perfection, with serrated edge on the back of the blade. 

"Thank you." He breathed, as he carefully put the knife back to its sheath. He hugged his father excitedly, "Thank you, father! I'll take really good care of it!"

His father laughed and told him he knew he would.  
____

In the morning Greg's mother woke him up before dawn. He dressed quickly in front of the fire as his mother fetched him a skin of water and a loaf of bread. She also handed him a pouch of dried nuts and berries for midday snack. Lastly, he put on a dark brown cape around himself and slid into his boots. He almost forgot about his hat until his mother put it on his head. It was his favorite hat, grey with fur lining, with ear flaps to keep him warm.

"My, my. What a handsome hunter you are." His mother smiled brightly and kissed his cheek. "Now, listen to your father at all times and be very very careful, you hear?” She warned as she wrapped Greg’s blue scarf around his neck. 

"Yes, mother." Greg said cheerfully and followed his father outside. 

"Greg, before I forgot, take this." His father said as he gave him a wooden carved horn. "If you're ever lost or in trouble, blow this. The sound will scare off the wild animals and it will help me find you."

Greg nodded and tied the horn to his belt. Then he mounted his pony and followed his father. 

The ride to the edge of the forest was not long. On the way, his father asked him "Tell me what I taught you about hunting." 

"Never kill the young. Never kill the female. Never kill what you don't intend to eat." Greg recited "Never make them suffer for long and always do it quickly and effectively." 

"Very good, what else?"

"Out there we're both a hunter and a prey."

"Yes. Do not let your guard down. If at all possible I don't want you to use that knife for any use other than skinning and cutting the game later. But if you're ever in danger and I'm not there, use the knife. You got it?"

"Yes, father." Greg was proud his voice didn't shake.  
___

They met up with the hunting party at the edge of the forest. It was quite a large group and Greg recognized a few people from the town. Nicoletta saw him and waved at him. He liked her; she made pretty dresses for his mother and often gave him candied oranges when she was visiting.

"Hector, Gregory." The leader of the hunt greeted. "Glad to see you could make it. I see it's time for little Gregory here to join the hunt!" 

"'Lo, Alexia. How's Simon and Sally doing?" Hector smiled and shook her hand. Alexia was the sherif and she often lead the hunt to make sure there was no over hunting. Greg liked to play with her daughter Sally whenever he was visiting the town. 

"Oh, same ol', same ol'." She laughed warmly, "He was still asleep when I left. Seems like there was a crisis at the bank last night and he had to work overnight with his boss screaming. Terrible business, really."

She eyed Greg thoughtfully, "I think I'll bring Sally next year. I think she's finally old enough."

Greg smiled excitedly. 

Alexia quickly briefed the hunting group about the weather and terrain condition, as well as the expected game population and what was illegal to kill. There was no dragon sighting, but beware of wolves. Then they separated in four groups. Greg's group consisted of him, his father, Nicoletta and Adrien, the blacksmith's apprentice. 

Hector was pleased with this arrangement; Nicoletta was an excellent tracker and even though Adrien was young, he had the best traps and he knew how to use them.

Naturally, it didn't go well.

 

___

 

Dawn was close to breaking but none of them managed to find a single animal track. The forest was quiet — unnaturally so — they couldn't even hear a bird tweet, much less the morning call of a wild turkey. 

The sun was high in the sky when they decided that this hunting trip was a bust and they should start the disappointing trek home. They didn't see even a single squirrel even as they venture deeper into the forest.

Then he saw it.

"Father...” His voice trembled like never before. Hector turned to his son but his reply was caught in his throat when he followed his son's line of sight.

There was a fallen tree. It was big, but it wasn't old enough that it would fall on its own. There were claw marks the size of Greg's whole arm on the trunk. Hector glanced at Nicoletta, who nodded and approached the tree carefully. He pulled Greg behind him and readied his rifle. Adrien did the same.

"This is fresh." Nicoletta ran her finger to the still wet sap, "No longer than 30 minutes ago. The creature has to be at least 40 feet tall. "

Adrien swallowed in fear.

"A dragon."

Just as he finished speaking, as if being called, they heard an ear piercing shriek followed by a strong gust of wind. 

The dragon landed in front of them as they stood there frozen, just like a frog petrified by a snake. The dragon was fiery red, he had two hooked horns on top of his head and his spread wings covered the sun. He let out a mighty roar that shook the trees and the earth, and Greg could see rows and rows of spear-like teeth. 

Adrien trembled and fell to the ground when his knees stopped listening to him.

"Run." Nicoletta said, her eyes still glued on the dragon. She moved to grab Adrien by the elbow to pull him up. "Run!" 

As if that broke the spell, Greg started running like his life is depended on it.

_"My life is depended on it."_

He didn't see where he was going and didn’t look back to see where everyone was, all he knew was that he had to get as far as he can from the dragon.

**Author's Note:**

> The name Gregory means vigilant and watchful, so I thought it's just appropriate that he's a good shepherd. 
> 
> Leander is based off Dwayne Johnson and that makes him important ok.


End file.
